1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: You're listening to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,319 Speaker 1: and today's devotion is inspired by Romans chapter fifteen, verse four, 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: which says, for whatever was written in former days was 6 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: written for our instruction that through endurance and through the 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. Our Lord 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: has intentionally provided us with a tool to help us 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: grow strong in him. The tool He's blessed us with 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: is his word. The scriptures have been given to us 11 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: to instruct us. The scriptures have been given to us 12 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: to help us endure difficult seasons. The scriptures have been 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: given to us to encourage us. The scriptures have been 14 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: given to us to help help us cherish the hope 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: that is only found in Jesus Christ. When God's word 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: speaks of hope, it's not speaking of wishes. It's not 17 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: speaking of dreams. It's not speaking of possibilities. It's speaking 18 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: of guarantees. It's telling you and me that we will 19 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: experience many moments in this world that require more strength 20 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: and endurance from us than we naturally possess. Yet through 21 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: Jesus we can see beyond those moments and can know 22 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: for certain that the outcome of it all is safely 23 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: secured by Him. We know the end of the story. 24 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: We already know it will all work out. What do 25 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: you suppose sustain the Apostle Paul in his ministry? What 26 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: sustained the missionaries, martyrs and every other committed believer throughout 27 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: the ages? It was hope in Jesus Christ, And that 28 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: hope beams from every page of the Word of God. 29 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word, and 30 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege that it is to 31 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: be able to look at this portion of scripture today 32 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: from the Book of Romans. And Lord, we know that 33 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: in the midst of our life on this earth, we're 34 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: going to deal with all sorts of challenges, and all 35 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: sorts of seasons of adversity and difficulties, and all the 36 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: things that come along with that. Those are things that 37 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: at times can be very unpleasant, but it's the reality 38 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: of what life looks like here on this earth. But Father, 39 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: we're grateful for the hope that you've given us through 40 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: your son Jesus Christ, and we're grateful that in your 41 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: word you communicate that hope in many different ways. Father, 42 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: we're grateful for access to the scriptures, because each page 43 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: of the Scriptures is pointing us to your son, and 44 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: you're reminding us of the guarantees that you have promised 45 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: us because of the hope that we have in your 46 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ. These aren't maybes, these aren't possibilities. When 47 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: you promise something in your word, it comes to pass 48 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: one hundred percent of the time. And we're grateful, Father 49 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: for those who came before us who also walked by 50 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: that same kind of hope. They lived in it, they 51 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: embraced it, they understood it, and they modeled it. So Father, 52 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: we're grateful for the privilege to be hopeful men and 53 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: women who know you through your son Jesus Christ, and 54 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: can live out our days confident that You're going to 55 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: work out all things for our good and for your glory. 56 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: Thank you again, Father for this reminder from your word, 57 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.